680215 - Letter to Jadurani written from Los Angeles
February 15, 1968
Allston, Massachusetts
My Dear Jadurani,
Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your nice letters of Feb. 8, and Feb. 10. As always, I am so happy to hear about all the nice artwork you and your associates are doing. Regarding your questions: The airplanes in Vaikuntha isn't exactly like the airplanes here, but it is something like the swan while flying, in shape, with a throne on the back, bedecked all over with golden filigree works, and looking very brilliant. It isn't a bird flying, but the shape of the plane is like the swan bird flying.
The demons could assume any gigantic shape they liked. They can play jugglery; they are not ordinary human beings. You must know that a person with whom God had to fight is not an ordinary person. He could play almost equally with the Lord, but nobody can excel the Lord. Therefore, he was killed. To expand and to reduce the body is sometimes performed by a successful yogi.
Yes, Varaha is very beautiful. Generally, the Boar picture is depicted as half human, and half boar, but in Bhagavatam it is stated that full boar. You can make the first 2 legs as 2 hands, and the rear legs and legs, and make it as beautiful as possible.
Printing in India is out of the question now, because we have no sufficient fund. If something can be done with cooperation of Mr. Kallman, that is the next possibility. Better to consult Brahmananda in this connection.
I am so please that you are guiding your God-sisters in N.Y. so nicely. But some of your God-sisters in San Francisco want you for 2 months. I have asked them to write you directly and if you can spare yourself for that time to organize a Brahmacarini asrama in S.F., please think it over. I have seen the article put in Boston newspaper about your activities there, and I am so glad to see your picture, just a Brahmacarini. The picture was very attractive for me, and I pray Krishna that you may make further progress in Krishna Consciousness so your spiritual beauty may come out more and more. The article was very nice. And also, I am thinking if you go to S.F., then work in Boston may suffer for want of you. Because you are only 3 in Boston, and under these circumstances I cannot advise you directly to go to S.F., but if you think it is possible then try to help them.
My present plan is that I will have to go to S.F. most probably to open a center in Berkeley, during the Advent Ceremony of Lord Caitanya, and from S.F., I may go to N.Y. So if you come to S.F., at least for a few days then, we can meet there and see how the Brahmacarini asrama is going there.
Regarding offering food: The custom is to offer the foodstuff first to the Spiritual Master; we cannot do anything directly. The Spiritual Master accepts the offering on behalf of his disciple, and offers the same to Krishna. After Krishna's eating, the Spiritual Master eats it, and then the devotees take it as Mahaprasada. This is the system. Everything is offered to the Spiritual Master first, with the prayer "Nama Om Visnupadaya . . .
If, in the cooking process, food falls on the floor, if it is raw and can be washed nicely, then it can be offered. But if it is prepared and cannot be washed, then it is not to be offered, but can be eaten rather than be wasted.
Brijbasi Co. are not ordinary businessmen, they are devotees. So their pictures aren't poisonous. Even it is poison, because we are paying for their goods, therefore if poison is there, it becomes ineffective. Just like we are buying so many things at the market which are not fit for offering to Krishna, but because we are purchasing them, we can offer.
Hope you are well.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
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